


Yellow Carnations and Daffodils

by HeithChief



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Secret Santa, Unrequited Love, hanahaki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 12:11:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13166652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeithChief/pseuds/HeithChief
Summary: Bokuto knows one thing, he's completely in love with his best friend, Kuroo Tetsurou. He's fine with them being friends, at first, that is, until Kuroo gets a girlfriend. Every time Bokuto finds himself getting jealous of what's-her-name, he makes a promise that he'll confess. He never wants to go through this again. He waits a month after the break up and then he confesses to Kuroo. Unfortunately it doesn't go to plan and he hears the words he's always feared, Kuroo "just doesn't see him that way". When Bokuto gets home, he starts coughing up bright yellow flower petals. It's Hanahaki. He can get it removed and that will cure it, but then he'll forget Kuroo. What will Bokuto decide? What will Kuroo do when he finds out?





	Yellow Carnations and Daffodils

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Meriyanna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meriyanna/gifts).



> This is a Secret Santa gift for Meriyanna as part of the haikyuuwriters Secret Santa. It's a bit late, but I hope you like it!

There was one thing Bokuto had always known, it had started when they first met in middle school, and blossomed from there. At first, they had clashed a bit over a game, but even then, he knew. Their personalities were very similar, even if the other boy had a way of riling people up. Bokuto knew from day one that he wanted to be by this boy’s side forever. Even when they weren’t together, they were texting each other almost nonstop, sharing funny memes they had seen or weird things their friends had said, knowing it would make the other laugh. At first, he was okay with them just being best friends and each other’s ultimate partner in crime.

              That was until, for Kuroo, girls started to come into the picture. Bokuto didn’t blame them, because after Kuroo hit puberty and started grow out of his awkward gangly stage, he was a real looker. And Bokuto noticed Kuroo just as the girls did, but he didn’t dare ruin their friendship. It was the most important relationship in his entire life, so why risk it? Also in high school, Kuroo was mostly focused on volleyball so he didn’t have time for dating and the same trend continued into their university lives, thankfully. Kuroo was an engineering major, he hardly had time for club activities while still trying to keep the grades for his scholarship. Bokuto was glad for that.

              Post-college was a whole different story, though. Kuroo wasn’t solely focused on school anymore. Now that he was graduated and had a job he’d started seriously looking into dating. Watching Kuroo get his first girlfriend had cut through Bokuto’s heart like a knife, and the wound festered with jealousy. That’s the moment he knew what he felt for Kuroo was real. He was no longer satisfied being the best friend. They had never really discussed sexualities, but as far as Kenma had told him, Kuroo was pansexual. Bokuto on the other hand, was very gay. He had always loved boys and was sure Kuroo was the source of that. He was so in trouble, but every moment he had to hear Kuroo’s girlfriend giggle or pretend that he liked her, was another promise to himself that he would confess to Kuroo. He swore sometimes that she was flaunting their relationship in his face because she knew that he liked Kuroo too. ‘Liked’, though, was the understatement of the century, he was head over heels in love with his best friend. So cliché.

              That was how he found himself here, standing on Kuroo’s doorstep, catching his breath and beet-red. Today was the day. Kuroo had broken up with what’s-her-name a month ago and Bokuto had waited, what he guessed, was the proper amount of time. At least he hoped it was right.

              “I know you wanted hang out, but did you run here?” Kuroo grinned, teasing him. “I mean I’m happy to see you too.”

              That grin, that teasing tone had always made Bokuto melt inside. He was putty in Kuroo’s hands, ready to be molding in any shape that fit in Kuroo’s long fingers. “Yep. I did. You’re most the important to me.” Bokuto winked and Kuroo rolled his eyes, used to their normal banter. That eye roll made Bokuto want to die inside. He wished his unfiltered flirts like that would make Kuroo blush. He wished to get some kind of reaction out of him that would at least signal a bit of requited affection.

              Bokuto took a deep breath, ready to cross the line. There would be no going back after this. “Actually, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

              “So serious.” Kuroo joked, but Bokuto’s intense, focused expression didn’t waver. Kuroo nodded and let him inside. He walked to the kitchen and started the kettle, “can I get you some coffee or tea?”

              “Sure, whatever you’re having.”

              Bokuto was nervous. That much was evident to Kuroo, but he wondered why. They had never been nervous around each other. Things were always easy, and they meshed well without thinking. Bokuto was the one person Kuroo felt most comfortable around, well, besides Kenma, but still that was something. It annoyed him a little that Bokuto was worried about something and he didn’t know what it was or how to ease his anxious mind. Kuroo sat across from Bokuto at the table when he finished making their coffees.

              “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

               Bokuto had felt this way for a really long time and he had made his mind up to tell Kuroo. The fear of being rejected made him a bit speechless, but he couldn’t hide his feelings forever. He didn’t want to hide them forever. “Kuroo, I’ve felt like this for a long time, and at this point I just need you to know. I mean, I hope you’ll feel the same or something. Yet, if you don’t, at least you know, it’ll be okay Or not quite okay, I care what you think and how you feel, but I’ll be sad I guess. I—”

              “Bo. Whoa, you’re rambling.” Kuroo placed his hand on top of Bokuto’s clenched fist as an effort to ground him, calm him with physical touch. He found that always worked well with Bokuto. “Just breathe. It’s okay, you can tell me anything, remember? That’s what bros are for.”

              _Bros._ There was the word again, the one Bokuto had come to resent. It cut through him like a knife and when he already so anxious already, he couldn’t hold in the pain those 4 letters had caused. “But I want to be more than bros!” Bokuto slapped a hand over his mouth once he realized what he just blurted. A red, hot blush crept onto his cheeks and spread until it consumed his whole face. Well he was already halfway in, might as well continue now.

“I like you Kuroo. Yeah, like that. I have since high school and seeing you with that girlfriend of yours killed me. I can’t go through that again without you knowing.”

              Kuroo’s mouth fell open with that confession. It was the last thing he’d expected and before this moment, right now, he hadn’t thought of them that way. Maybe he could like Bo in that, but that confession was honest, so pure, he wasn’t sure he could respond with the same caliber. If he couldn’t than he didn’t want to pretend he did just because he wanted Bokuto to be happy. That wasn’t fair to him. “Bokuto…I…I’ve never thought about us in that way. Not that you’re not attractive or likable in that way or anything, I just, I’m not there. I’m sorry Bo, I just don’t see you that way.”

              There it was, the rejection, like a rock on a frozen lake. It had made one tiny crack, but it had a rippling effect, cracking the surface of Bokuto’s heart with a million hairline fractures. The thing he feared most had come true. This was his reality, but at least know he knew. Now, he longer had to guess at Kuroo’s answer. He knew. Suddenly he felt very sick and he couldn’t be here anymore.

 “Oh.”

He looked down into his drink and willed his tears to not spill over until he was out of Kuroo’s sight. It wasn’t Kuroo’s fault that he didn’t see Bokuto in that way and he couldn’t blame him. Though, Kuroo couldn’t blame him either for his whole world, all those fantasies crashing down to Earth like a meteor. A reality meteor.

“Kuroo…I need to go.” Bokuto stood up roughly and swayed a bit on his feet.

“Koutarou. Wait.” Kuroo reached out to him, but what could he say? “I mean we can stay friends, right? We’ve always been friends.

Bokuto shook his head and a single tear fell, rolling down his cheek. “I can’t Tetsu, not right now. It’s too painful.” Bokuto didn’t even wait for Kuroo’s reaction, he just threw on his shoes and ran out the door. He didn’t stop running until he reached his house. The minute he got inside, he really thought he was going throw up. With a hand clapped over his mouth, Bokuto ran straight for the bathroom. He threw open the lid to the toilet and heaved. Thought it wasn’t vomit that filled the bowl, no, in its place were bright yellow carnation and daffodil petals.

Blood drained from Bokuto’s face because he knew exactly what those meant. Yellow carnations were the flowers of rejection and daffodils were the flowers of unrequited love. This was bad, and he knew exactly what caused it. Most people knew of the disease, even in it’s rarity. He had Hanahaki. There was only one cure, to get the roots removed, but that came with a cost.

Not only would he lose feelings that he had for Kuroo, but any memory that was connected to this feeling. It would be fine if this had been someone he had only known in classes or something, but it was Kuroo. He’d been in love with Kuroo for so long, getting them removed would mean losing nearly every memory he had with Kuroo. The last thing Bokuto wanted to do was to forget all the good times he had with Kuroo. Even if this disease would eventually kill him, he didn’t want to lose those memories. It would run his throat raw and the roots would strangle him to death from the inside out, but he didn’t want to lose his best friend.

 Maybe he’d beat it somehow, or the worst situation, what if Kuroo’s feelings changed eventually. What if Kuroo developed feelings for him? That couldn’t happen, couldn’t it? Then he wouldn’t be able to return them because the feelings would be gone, evaporated from his mind, and heart, like water on a hot day. That terrified him, to be empty. To forget and never be able to get those memories back sounded like the biggest mistake he could make.

What he had to do though, was leave. He couldn’t have Kuroo see him like this, he would blame himself. Though his rejection was the cause, but he didn’t want Kuroo to hurt just for not feeling the same way. He knew his job had a branch outside of Tokyo. A few calls later and he was transferred there. He could get over this away from Kuroo. Maybe that would make the symptoms less severe. Maybe he would get better eventually. Deep down, Bokuto knew those were pipe dreams, hopes that were chasing the wind. No one, who didn’t get it removed, survived Hanahaki.

* * *

 

Kuroo was nervous, which was evident with the way he kept raking his fingers through his hair, making it more of a mess. That was not a look he would have intended to have for the first time seeing Bokuto in a year. He sighed and switched to picking at his nails instead and worried his lower lip between his teeth. Bokuto was really taking a long time answering the door, but maybe he wasn’t home, and maybe Kuroo should have called first. It would have ruined the surprise, but it would have prevented him being stranded on the doorstep. He was about to turn away and leave when the front door suddenly opened.

“Yes?”

Kuroo was greeted not with the familiar face of his best friend—if he could call Bokuto that anymore—but with the indifferent face of Akaashi. He hadn’t seen Akaashi since high school, but he had not been expecting this. “Akaashi?! I didn’t know Bokuto moved in with you! Is he home? I was hoping to talk to him.”

The man crossed his arms and straightened up trying to look as tall and intimidating as possible even though he was several inches shorter than Kuroo. “You should leave, pain-in-the-ass Kuroo. He’s not interested in seeing you. He saw you from the window and refused to come to the door, so he sent me instead. Like you have any right to see him anyway after what you did to him.”

Something seemed off, Akaashi was straightforward and serious, but never cold. What happened? Was this just because he heard about the break up? Akaashi and Bokuto had always stayed close, even after high school, maybe this was just some sort of protectiveness. His expression was calm and collected, but his eyes were fierce and protective. “You mean rejecting his confession? I’m here to talk about that, actually. Is he home?”

Akaashi cleared his throat and made no move to let Kuroo inside. “Like I said, he doesn’t want to see you. Leave.”

Kuroo stretched to his full height and glared down at Akaashi, trying to show how serious he was about this. Akaashi seemed like he thought he was doing right by Bokuto by keeping Kuroo away, but Kuroo knew Bokuto better than that. He didn’t know Bokuto like Kuroo knew him. Even if they hadn’t talked in a year, Bokuto still would consider him a best friend.

“Akaashi, who’s at the door?” The voice in the background was weak, but Kuroo would recognize it anywhere. He peered over Akaashi’s shoulder and his mouth fell open as he took in Bokuto’s appearance. His hair wasn’t in its usual style, it looked limp and the white highlights had almost completely grown out. That was just his hair. He had lost a lot of muscle tone, as if he had completely given up on keeping his body in shape. He looked skinny, too skinny for his broad frame and his face was gaunt. He was like a ghost of his old self, a fraction of who he used to be.

“Kou?!”

Bokuto’s eyes widened and he choked, hand covering his mouth and he ran out of sight. That was the first time he’d seen Kuroo in a year. Everything came rushing back and he barely made it to the toilet before he started coughing up petals. Yellows and golds used to his favorite colors, but now he hated the sight of those sunshine hues. They reminded him unrequited love and rejection. This time though, like the first, he coughed up not only flowers, but thorny branches as well. They cut up his throat on the way up and stained the flowers with scarlet blood. It was a full two minutes before it stopped and Bokuto could even catch his breath. If it was bad as last time, he would only have a minute or two of relief before he got another attack. He closed his eyes as he recalled the last time it had been this bad. It was just after he moved in and Kuroo had called him, angry and they had fought. After he hung up he had a fit that had lasted ten minutes, each time he finally felt relief, he’d retch again, sputtering more flowers. That was the day Akaashi found out.

_“Kou. What the hell? I just heard form Kenma that you up and moved?!”_

_“I got transferred. My boss wanted me in charge of things out here. I couldn’t do anything to prevent it.” It was a lie, a bold-faced lie, but he couldn’t tell Kuroo about the Hanahaki._

_“So you just up and moved without telling me?”_

_“Yeah. Look, I was glad for the transfer, I needed a fresh start.”_

_He heard Kuroo huff in frustration on the other line. “For me you mean? I know my rejection hurt, but I didn’t get a goodbye? I mean that little to you now? We’ve never even lived anywhere that was not walking distance from one another. We’re best friends, you asshole. I would have been a mess if I had to leave you.”_

_That last line made Bokuto cough, the petals threating to choke him if he didn’t let them out, but he swallowed them down. They left a nasty taste in his mouth, the coppery taste of blood mixed with rotten flowers. They tasted a hell of lot worse than they smelled. “I told you that day, I can’t do this. I wish I never confessed because then we could have stayed friends, things would have been as they always were. Now, it fucking hurts to be around you. I can’t. This is better for me.” The hurting part wasn’t a lie, now he had a physical pain to accompany the emotional one._

_“Stop being so dramatic, Bo. I never said I couldn’t maybe see you that way. I’m pan, but I hadn’t thought about us before. Maybe I could still fall for you. You’re the one of the most important person in my life. You’d have to be mental to believe I wouldn’t do anything to keep you around, to make things work. I could have tried to be with you. But no, you ran away like fucking coward.”_

_“How dare you? You have no idea what rejection like that feels like. I don’t want you being with me because you don’t want to lose me. I want you to feel something for me other than friendship. Being with you like that would be torture if you weren’t really in love with me. Fuck you—I don’t want that. don’t call me again.” Bokuto hung up the phone and that’s when the fit took over. The petals overflowed the trash can in his room, dripping with blood from the tears in the throat. Akaashi ran in hearing the coughing and his eyes went wide._

_“Bokuto…this is…Hanahaki. Who did this to you?”_

_“Kuroo. I was so helplessly in love with for most of my life. I confessed to him and the night he rejected me, this started.”_

_“That’s why you moved here so suddenly.” Akaashi’s eyes widened as he started to put the pieces together. He cleared his throat and sat down on the edge of Bokuto’s bed. “I know this might not be my place, but you need to get it removed.”_

_“I can’t. I won’t. Forgetting Kuroo would be like cutting my arm or leg off. I wouldn’t be the same without him. I was hoping maybe I’d get over the feelings and we could be friends again. I love him so much, I don’t want to lose him.”_

_“Bokuto, you’ll die before you could get over him. If that could even work. No one who hasn’t gotten it removed has survived. Have you seen a doctor about this?”_

_Bokuto shook his head furiously and he looked like a young kid who was terrified of getting a vaccine. The word doctor sent shivers down his spine. “No. I know what they’ll tell me. I won’t get it removed.”_

_“Bokuto. Have some sense. I like you and you’re one of my best friends, and I don’t want to see you like this. Please get it removed. If he’s really your best friend, he would understand.” Akaashi urged, but again, Bokuto shook his head. Tears started to spill down his face and he doesn’t even try to stop them._

_“I don’t want to stop loving him.” His words trembled, voice clouded with tears and Akaashi gave up. He couldn’t push Bokuto anymore. Not now._

_Bokuto was so broken in that moment, upset from the fight as much as he is about his situation. He let his anger control him earlier and said things he didn’t mean. He wanted so badly to run home to Kuroo, but being around him would make his condition worse. He had to stay away if he hoped to heal at all._

Now, all he had done was seen Kuroo and the attacks came back, more fiercely than ever. He retched and coughed. Petals, blood and thorns poured out of his throat like rain and he just begged for the storm to stop.

“Bokuto?”

The petals and coughing had stopped, for a moment, and he caught his breath. Shaking hands had fumbled for the handle of the toilet to flush the evidence, but it was too late. Kuroo had already seen. He watched the water swirl and suck up everything that was once inside of him and wished he could be washed away with it.

Kuroo bent down and picked up a stray petal that had missed the bowl. Suddenly he put the pieces together, yellow petals, coughing fits, and Bokuto’s frail appearance. Hanahaki. Bokuto was dying. “Bo—Hanahaki? Who caused it? How long?” He knelt down next to him and put his hands on Bokuto’s shoulders, leaning over him so he could look him in the eye. “Listen to me, you have to get this removed. If you don’t have the money, we’ll figure it out. I have to help you.”

Bokuto tried to respond to any of Kuroo’s questions, but at this stage and with Kuroo this close it wouldn’t stop. He shoved Kuroo away and heaved over the toilet once again. It was more gruesome up close and Kuroo’s heart was breaking just watching Bokuto in pain. He couldn’t imagine what Bokuto was going through, the pain of it must be excruciating. He would kill whoever hurt Bokuto in this way. Maybe his love wouldn’t be the kind Bokuto needed, but maybe it would help.

“Bo, I’m going to get you some water.” Kuroo stood and turned to leave, but he the doorway was blocked by Akaashi. He was glaring at Kuroo like Kuroo was most disgusting creature on the Earth. He shook his head and handed Kuroo the glass of water, _he_ had brought for Bokuto. He scoffed at Kuroo and walked away into the living room.

Kuroo’s blood ran cold in his veins and he felt a sense of dread in the pit of his gut as he started to understand. He thought of Akaashi’s words from earlier, _“Like you have any right to see him anyway after what you did to him.”_

 _No…no. It can’t be._ But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Bokuto’s sudden job transfer, refusals to see Kuroo, picking a fight, and those words he said.

“ _I wish I never confessed because then we could have stayed friends, things would have been as they always were. Now, it fucking hurts to be around you.”_

_It hurts to be around me. I hadn’t known that was literal. And I had been so horrible to him. Calling him overdramatic and a coward. I…I did this to him. But I can fix it! Things are different now._

Kuroo ran out into the living room and he stopped in front of Akaashi, face pale as ghost. “How long?”

“I’m pretty sure he’s had since he moved in. I found out about it after the first week.” Akaashi’s tone was surprisingly even, but there was an anger-fueled fire in his eyes.

“You know, don’t you…it’s…it’s because of me, isn’t it?”

“It is.” Akaashi didn’t even try to sugarcoat it or soften the blown because there was no way of doing that. It was just how things were.

“I can fix it.”

“Convince him to get it removed and you can.”

Kuroo nodded and ran back into the bathroom. He didn’t have any plans to do that, no way would he let Bokuto forget him, not now. Bokuto was leaning against the way, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he caught his breath. Beads of sweat had blossomed across his forehead and he looked even worse than he had before. Kuroo pressed his lips together to stop them from trembling. His heart was tearing at the seams seeing Bokuto like this because of him. He’d been living with it for a whole year and he had no idea. There was no known case of someone living with Hanahaki for more than a year, so it was a miracle Bokuto was hanging on this long. Kuroo took a deep breath, it would all be over soon.gr

“Koutarou, I’m so sorry, I did this to you. I—”

“Don’t ask me to get it removed. I won’t. I won’t forget you. I don’t want to.” Bokuto’s voice was hoarse and weak as it slowly passed his lips. Kuroo wanted to hug him and tell him it was all going to be okay now. But he didn’t know that for sure, maybe he was too late. Maybe there was nothing that could change or stop Hanahaki once it started, but he had to try.

              “I’m not going to. I don’t want you to forget me either. I’m selfish, but I love you.”

              “Kuroo. Don’t. You don’t mean it like I mean it. That’s so horrible of you to say.” Bokuto slowly got up and refused any help that Kuroo tried to offer him. He didn’t want to be here anymore. He didn’t want to see Kuroo’s guilty face or let Kuroo see him cry anymore. He brushed past Kuroo and whispered one word on his way out. “Leave.”

              “No!” Kuroo chased after him, following him out to the living room, stopping him before he could make it to his bedroom. “Listen to me, I do mean it that way!”

              Akaashi stood up and made a move to get in between them. “Back off Kuroo. He’s in no state to argue with you. If you’re not going to help him, leave him be.”

              “No! I won’t. You don’t understand. Everything is different now. Bokuto, just listen to me. I love you and I’m completely in love with you. I think I’ve always been, but I didn’t realize it until you left. I cried most nights because I missed you so badly and I didn’t want to be without you. At first, I didn’t understand that it was because I actually loved you in that way, but then I did. No romantic break up had ever hurt me like this did. I am so sorry your love was unrequited, but it’s not anymore. Bokuto Koutarou, I’m helplessly, irrevocably in love with you.”

“W-what?” Bokuto was staring at him in disbelief, looking for the lie in Kuroo’s eyes because they always gave him away. They were always so expressive, but he only saw two emotions in them, pure honestly and real love.

              “I don’t know if I’m too late, but I had to try. I love you so, so much. You are the most important person in my life and I never want to lose you again.” Kuroo cradled Bokuto’s face between his hands and gave him a firm kiss, filling it with all the affection he had inside of him. He felt Bokuto kiss back and he smiled against his lips, this was the best he’d ever felt from kissing another person.

Why hadn’t he realized the person who he needed, who he wanted above anyone else, was right in front him the whole time?

              Kuroo pulled away first and Bokuto dropped to the floor.

              “You idiot! A kiss of unrequited love will kill him.”

              “No. It’s not unrequited anymore. I love him! I wasn’t lying.”

              “If you truly meant it, he wouldn’t have fainted like that.” Akaashi shook his head and dialed the hospital.

              Kuroo dropped to his knees and pressed his fingers to Bokuto’s neck, feeling for a pulse. It had to have worked. He did truly mean it. He loved Bokuto in every sense of the word. He—there it was, right under his fingers, a heartbeat. It was weak, but it was there. “Akaashi! His heart is beating!”

              Akaashi finished the phone call and stared down at them. “The ambulance is on the way, they said he probably doesn’t have long. I told you, you should have stayed away. I don’t care about your intentions. Bokuto is a dear friend of mine and I will never forgive you if that just killed him.”

              “You say that like Koutarou isn't dear to me too! and It DIDN'T!” Kuroo yelled back, taking Bokuto’s hand in between his own. Maybe no one else believed it, but he did. He had to believe it would all be okay.

* * *

 

              Bokuto opened his eyes and all he saw was white. He blinked a few times and then everything started to come into focus. He heard the beeping of the heartrate monitor beside him, steady and true. Felt the cheap, crisp sheets beneath him and realized he was in a hospital. _NO!_ Bokuto sat straight up, nearly choking himself with the breathing tube, threaded through his nose. He ripped it off and heart the beeping moniter increasing. Panic and fear bubbled up in his chest. _I had the surgery, didn’t I? I must have collapsed, and they had no choice but to operate! Kuroo! …wait…I shouldn’t…remember, but I know him. I haven’t forgotten anything…what does that mean? What does that mean?_

_“Bokuto Koutarou, I’m hopelessly, irrevocably in love with you.” Kuroo’s words and his set, loving eyes flashed in Bokuto’s memory._

_And then he kissed me! It was real, wasn’t it? I wouldn’t remember that if they took it out…but I don’t feel like coughing up flowers._ Bokuto swallowed and winced, his throat was still raw, but he felt different.

              “Oh! You’re awake! I’ll go get the doctor.” A voice of a cute sounding girl caught his attention. Bokuto looked toward the door and saw a young nurse with chin length blonde hair. She looked familiar somehow, but he couldn’t quite place her.

              “I’ve got to say, in all my years of treating this disease, I have never seen a case like this one.” An older doctor with gray hair walked in and he placed an x-ray on a lighted board. “This was you when you came in last night.” He pointed to the picture of a thorn-riddled, vined plant in his chest, curling around his lungs. “You had a puncture in your left lung, and I am honestly surprised you were alive with how far the disease had progressed. You were very close to suffocating, maybe a day or two left.”

              Bokuto felt very cold, hearing that, hearing how close he was to dying. He didn’t want to die. He wanted to live. To be with Kuroo.

              The doctor shook his head in disbelief and pulled a second x-ray from a manila folder. He placed it on the board next to the other one. “This, though, was you just this morning right before you gained consciousness.” The x-ray was completely devoid of any of the plant, it looked nearly normal.

              “Wait. You removed then, didn’t you? How can I still remember him though?”

              “That’s the odd part, we didn’t remove it. It’s completely gone. The small puncture in your lung it caused is still there, but that will heal on its own. Also, the tears in your esophagus are still there, and those will heal too, but those are the only evidence you ever had Hanahaki. We’re all amazed.” The doctor looked at him with wonderment.

              “…then he does love me? Please. Can I see him? He must be here. Kuroo Tetsurou, um he’s one of the ones who brought me in…”

              The doctor smiled fondly, “Yes. The one with the crazy bedhead, he’s been asking incessantly about you. Hitoka went to go get him now. You’ll be here for a few days, so we can monitor your progress and some tests. If everything thing heals and there are no signs of the disease returning, you’ll be free to go home. You’re a lucky one, Bokuto Koutarou.” The doctor smiled one last time and left.

              Bokuto was only alone for a moment before Kuroo came barreling into his room. “KOU! You’re awake. I’ve been so worried. I’ve been here all night, I thought I was going to lose you and they wouldn’t tell me anything until this morning.” Kuroo rushed to the side of the bed and took Bokuto’s hand in his, peppering the back of it in a bunch of little kisses.

              “It’s gone, Tetsu…that means you do love me. It was all real.”

              Kuroo stopped kissing Bokuto’s hand and beamed up at him. “Of course, I do! I’m just so glad I didn’t realize before it was too late. The doctor said a day or two more and you would have died.” He smiled down at him, “yeah it’s all real.”

              “I think I need a little proof.”

              “Oh, I’ll give you proof, you crazy owl.” Kuroo leaned in and pressed their lips together. This one was firm and true like the first one, but this one also had passion and relief behind it. Neither had the restraint, or grace at the moment to stop themselves. Kuroo climbed on top of the bed and straddled Bokuto’s hips, not caring that they on a hospital bed. Bokuto parted his lips and deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue over Kuroo’s, relishing in the sensation he never thought he’d get to experience. Soon this would all be just a memory and a story to tell.

             


End file.
